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YANCHENG, China, Jan. 21, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- On Jan. 20, 2019, Human Horizons (HH), a new Chinese startup focusing on "smart" technologies and new energy vehicles, unveils its Smart Road Demonstration Project in Yancheng, China. It is believed to be the world's first Cooperative Intelligent Transportation System (C-ITS) and is being delivered through HH's "Open Urban Road Test Project for Sensor Data Fusion and Computational Coordination" technology. This is a specific implementation of the "Smart Transportation" project under Human Horizons' "3-Smart" (Smart Vehicle, Smart Transportation and Smart City) Strategy.

Ding Lei unveils the Smart Road project of Human Horizons

Ding Lei, Chairman of Human Horizons noted that, "Smart Transportation is an important component of smart cities. It is one of the best areas for implementing AI and Big Data analysis technologies. This is receiving great attention in major countries around the world. Building 'Smart Roads' is of strategic significance to the transformation and upgrade of the auto industry and to the creation of smart city ecosystems."

Using "Road Sensing", "Cloud Computing Coordination" and "In-Vehicle Control" technologies as building blocks, the "Smart Road" Demonstration Project simulates and integrates complex and detailed real-life traffic scenarios. These include intra- and inter-city traffic, highway and overpass traffic and comprehensive traffic dispatch. It also supports the testing of L3 (conditional), L4 (high level) and L5 (full) autonomous driving, and the testing of all types of smart vehicles.

In addition, the "Smart Road" Project leads the way in utilizing 5G communications for data transfer and cloud computing.

All this makes the Smart Road Project the world's first open urban road test based on Sensor Data Fusion and Computational Coordination between roads and vehicles. This establishes a solid foundation for comprehensive optimization of traffic management, autonomous driving and smart transportation of the future.

As a key part of the "Smart Road" Project, HH has developed "H.H Pilot" (for autonomous driving), "H.H Parking" (for autonomous parking), and "H.H RSA-C" (Road-Sensing Architecture for V2X Coordination), enabling the vehicle to deal with multiple and complex scenarios in real-life traffic. The three technological platforms work together to ensure road safety, alleviate traffic congestion, and efficiently allocate road resources. The birth of these three advanced platforms will also help solve some constraints of autonomous driving such as high equipment costs and limited sensing (e.g. around blind corners). It will play a disruptive role in promoting the large-scale adoption of autonomous driving in the future. Smart road enabled autonomous driving will be more time-efficient, more reliable, more agile, and more intelligent.

All of this results in the HH Smart Road Project being technically more advanced than similar projects both locally and globally.

The "Smart Road" Project provides a good example of systematically solving urban transportation issues and improving the effectiveness of urban management. It signifies a further step towards the creation of a smart city. HH is striving to realize "four times worry-free" mobility - "driver(human)-free, accident-free, congestion-free, and road rage-free".

When it comes to the vision for changing how people will travel in the future, Human Horizons is aiming high. The company is always pursuing "human-oriented" changes, looking at and solving issues from a holistic perspective. In the future, the "Smart Road" will also be opened to other industry players, allowing road testing of smart vehicles and self-driving vehicles installed with in-vehicle communication devices for V2X coordination. With this, Human Horizons would like to collaborate with other companies to create an ecosystem that will accelerate the implementation of Smart Transportation Strategies.

This will be the first institutional financing of Spectre's freighter portfolio, and represents the first tranche of aircraft supporting its broader passenger-to-freighter (PTF) platform.

About Spectre.Spectre Cargo Solutions is a freighter-focused aircraft leasing and management company based in Austin, Texas USA. NGF Genesis Limited (Ireland) is a Spectre Cargo Solutions company. For more information, contact Kevin Casey at +1 334 791 1076 or kcasey@spectre.aero, and visit www.spectre.aero.

During the keynote address, entitled "The Future is Here," Huang tackled some of the pressing issues facing the energy industry and called for a "revolution in energy production and consumption" to halt the effects of global warming and its threat to life. Huang urged the human race to "go beyond the 'burning era', to give-up fossil fuels, embrace electrification and work towards a greener future where electric vehicles dominate cities' roads."

To tackle climate change, the Paris Agreement aims to keep the increase in global average temperature below 2 degrees centigrade above pre-industrial levels and to limit the increase to 1.5 degrees centigrade. To meet such a target, Huang argued, people need to shift to a new form of energy consumption that is clean, green, safe, efficient and sustainable.

The death of the combustion engine and a new energy future is on the horizon

"My proposal, 'Crossing the Burning Era', is based on the profound impact each revolution in the production and consumption of energy has had economic activity and social life. Electrification, thanks to advances in power storage that have boosted the efficiency of electricity utilization, has the potential to be the next energy revolution. Because of this, we predict that the adoption and application of electrification will accelerate," said Huang.

Emphasizing the disruptive nature of new technologies, Huang predicted that electric vehicles - now accounting for less than 1 percent of outstanding vehicles - will replace gas-powered automobiles between 2035 and 2045. The forecast is based on Sinopec Capital's in-house analysis, Huang said, citing that it only took combustible engines 30 years to sweep away horse carriages in the last energy revolution.

Technolgy + Capital escorting us into a greener future

Seeking to maintain leadership in a rapidly changing business environment, Sinopec, the world's largest refiner, is making strategic bets in emerging industries through Sinopec Capital, its newly-established investment vehicle. The newly established investment vehicle is committed to building long-term investments in areas such as new energy, green products, advanced materials and intelligent manufacturing and seeking out new opportunities beyond the energy sector to promote the cross-industry development of non-core business to improve quality and efficiency through mixed ownership reform.

Sinopec Capital Co Ltd., is an investment platform established in July 2018 and based Xiongan Economic zone, Hebei. With registered capital of 10 billion yuan, Sinopec Capital's mission is to build new engines of growth for its parent Sinopec, by making long-term investments in emerging industries such as new energy and green products. Leveraging Sinopec's strength across the entire business value chain, Sinopec Capital will seek to identify and foster emerging technologies in China's energy system to transform the industry into a greener, cleaner, and more sustainable sector. For more information, please refer to http://www.sinopecgroup.com/group/en

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ALTAUTENVGREOILTRNUTIMon, 21 Jan 2019 12:31:00 +0800https://en.prnasia.com/story/235459-0.shtmlBEIJING, Jan. 21, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Hainan Airlines Holding Co., Ltd. ("Hainan Airlines") plans to launch non-stop service between Shenzhen and Dublin on February 25, 2019. The route, with two round trip flights weekly on Mondays and Fridays, will be serviced by a Boeing 787 Dreamliner with a spacious and comfortable cabin layout. Business class will be equipped with 180-degree flatbed seats, while every seat on the aircraft comes wired with an exclusive on-demand entertainment system and every passenger will be served sumptuous offerings from both Western and Oriental cuisines. In addition, the use of portable electronic devices on board will be allowed.

Hainan Airlines Logo (PRNewsfoto/Hainan Airlines Co., LTD)

The Dublin-Shenzhen route is Hainan Airlines' second direct route between mainland China and Ireland following the launch of the Beijing-Dublin-Edinburgh-Beijing route, as well as the airline's third international route launched from Shenzhen this year. Hainan Airlines currently operates over ten international routes originating from Shenzhen, with service to and from Brisbane, Brussels, Madrid, Oakland, Osaka, Tel Aviv, Vancouver and Zurich as well as other destinations.

Tickets for Dublin-Shenzhen flights can now be reserved. Passengers can find more information about the reservations on the airline's official website www.hnair.com.

SHENZHEN, China, Jan. 21, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Hainan Airlines plans to formally launch non-stop service between Shenzhen and Vancouver on January 28, with two flights weekly, on Mondays and Fridays. The service will be the first non-stop international route connecting Shenzhen and a city in Canada.

A luxury Boeing 787-9 wide-body aircraft with a spacious and comfortable cabin layout will service the new routes. Business class will be equipped with reverse herringbone seating, while every seat on the aircraft comes wired with an exclusive on-demand entertainment system and every passenger will be served sumptuous offerings from both Western and Oriental cuisines. Passengers can also use their portable electronic devices on board.

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AIRPAVTRAPDTMon, 21 Jan 2019 10:04:00 +0800https://en.prnasia.com/story/235415-0.shtmlDeepBlue Technology debuts the Smart Panda Bus at the latest China Artificial Intelligence Development Summit and expects to sell it in Europe this year]]>
SHANGHAI, Jan. 18, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- On January 18th, DeepBlue Technology's Smart Panda Bus, an Artificial Intelligence (AI) driving bus, made its debut at the "New Generation Artificial Intelligence Future Development Summit" in Shanghai and is looking to redefining public transportation. The Smart Panda Bus is a multi-functional AI-based autonomous vehicle that incorporates eight different core technologies from DeepBlue Technology, working together to solve various pain points for commuters all over the world.

DeepBlue technology unveils the Smart Panda Bus in Shanghai

The Smart Panda Bus leverages the latest AI technologies all in one product. Some features are: AutoPilot, Finger Vein Recognition, Voice Interaction, Precise Advertising Push, Vehicle Monitoring Robot, Intelligent Unmanned Retail System, Abnormal Behavior Monitoring System and Intelligent Escape Emergency Handling System, which has never been implemented in a public commuter transport until now.

On the Smart Panda Bus, passengers can take the bus and go shopping by swiping their hands through the accurate biometric identification system, while an on-board robot monitors and records any suspicious behavior in real time, makes timely broadcast at the back-end for early warning and activates the intelligent escape emergency system. It heralds a big step towards the development of smart cities of the future, something that many AI industry elites, companies, and even China's city officials and overseas guests from the Belt and Road countries gathered together to discuss.

The Smart Panda Bus received enthusiastic support and will land in Asia and Europe this year. Countries such as Germany, Luxembourg, Italy and Greece have shown great interest in this product. It is expected that Smart Panda Bus will be available to Europe in 2019. City officials in Bangkok has already approved the BRT, another autonomous driving vehicle of DeepBlue Technology, to start trials around the middle of this year.

Shanghai-based DeepBlue Technology aims to be a global company that will be able to serve people all over the world. At present, the company is active in Europe, the Middle East and Southeast Asia, and so far, has signed smart city cooperation agreements with Greece and Italy.

The two new initiatives, 'Cathay ChangeMakers' and 'World As One', which have been developed together with Social Ventures Hong Kong, are just the start of the airline's efforts to re-energise its community objectives, which are to deliver positive change in society by collaborating with partners across different sectors to create shared value.

Cathay ChangeMakers pays tribute to and raises awareness of the work of Hong Kong people who have made a positive contribution to society, while World As One provides young people of diverse backgrounds with a thought-provoking travel experience that broadens their understanding of societal needs and cultivates empathy in their outlook on life.

Cathay Pacific Chief Executive Officer Rupert Hogg said: "Just like how we have been changing the way we do our business, it is important for us to work in new ways to address social challenges. Society is facing increasingly complex issues and no single party can solve them alone. Our revitalised approach to community engagement embraces both social innovations and shared value creation."

During the ceremony, Mr Hogg presented awards to three Cathay ChangeMakers* -- Gigi Tung, founder of food rescue and assistance programme Food Angel; Jeffrey Andrews, a registered social worker who is committed to helping ethnic minorities thrive; and Craig Leeson, director of the award-winning documentary "A Plastic Ocean" -- in recognition of their outstanding contribution to the community and the environment.

Through this particular initiative, Cathay Pacific vows to support the ChangeMakers by showcasing and promoting their important causes to a wide audience, including to its passengers, employees and business partners.

Meanwhile, participants from the World As One programme, comprising 15 Hong Kong youngsters, shared their experience during the ceremony of journeying to Cambodia last October, where they served as volunteers to help and serve the needs of the local people.

Through planned activities -- including building new homes for villagers -- and facilitated sharing sessions, each participant had the opportunity to gain a better understanding of the challenges faced by communities in the developing world, leading them to have greater empathy with their issues and circumstances.

As a result of a new partnership with VolTra, a registered non-profit organisation in Hong Kong, Cathay Pacific is grateful that similar experiences are now available to more and more members of the Hong Kong public.

While Cathay ChangeMakers and World As One herald the beginning of the airline's new community engagement strategy, more initiatives are being rolled up. For instance, Cathay Pacific is currently recruiting Form 3 to Form 6 students to join its 2019 I CAN FLY development programme. With its renewed focus, I CAN FLY will not only help towards students realising their aviation dreams but will also raise the youngsters' awareness of the many challenges facing the Hong Kong community.

Mr Hogg concluded: "This is just the start of our new approach to community engagement and we are both excited and motivated by what's being planned for the future. By collaborating with partners across different sectors, we can leverage what we do as an airline company -- by connecting people and places, our business and NGO partners -- to bring about benefit to society."

The Hong Kong-based Cathay Pacific Group offers scheduled passenger and cargo services to over 200 destinations in Asia, North America, Australia, Europe and Africa, using a fleet of nearly 200 wide-body aircraft. The company is a member of the Swire group and is a public company listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. The Group has made substantial investments to develop Hong Kong as one of the world's leading global transportation hubs. Cathay Pacific is a founder member of the oneworld global alliance.

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AIRPAVTRACSRPDTNPTFri, 18 Jan 2019 20:57:00 +0800https://en.prnasia.com/story/235392-0.shtmlResultant improvements in cost savings, efficiencies and scale to boost competitiveness of both automakers, notes Frost & Sullivan]]>
SANTA CLARA, Calif., Jan. 18, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The recently announced partnership between Ford and Volkswagen in the commercial vans and medium pickup trucks arena served to highlight the strong global demand that both companies foresee in these two segments. The partnership was made public on the sidelines of the just concluded North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) 2019, in Detroit. It marks the first step in a partnership that seeks to leverage the complementary strengths of both automotive giants in a bid to boost their competitiveness.

"The agreement would provide scale and efficiency advantages in the commercial vehicle market, which has relatively lower volumes compared to the passenger vehicle market," noted Veerender Kaul, Global Vice President—Commercial Mobility at Frost & Sullivan. "The two companies could save hundreds of millions of dollars in product development costs, thereby improving the efficiency of deployed capital and assets. Additional savings will come from cost reductions in purchasing and manufacturing, further improving margins and free cash flow."

According to the terms of the agreement, Ford will build medium sized pickups for both companies, and will engineer and build the larger commercial vans, while VW will build a city van. Interestingly, Ford's F-Series pickup, its most vital asset in the US market, will not be part of the partnership. The first products resulting from the alliance are scheduled to appear in the market in 2022.

In addition, Volkswagen and Ford have indicated that they are exploring further possibilities for collaboration in connectivity, autonomous driving, mobility, and powertrain electrification. The companies have already signed a memorandum of understanding to investigate potential opportunities in these areas and are working to align on strategy.

Both automakers will be hoping to draw on their respective competencies to accelerate innovation and growth. While VW has strong capabilities in electric vehicle technology, Ford has signaled its intent to look to the future by investing $4 billion in autonomous driving, including the $1 billion investment made in artificial intelligence startup Argo AI, in 2017.

"It is likely that Ford and VW have been discussing collaboration on connected, autonomous, shared mobility and electrification strategies (CASE) through 2018," remarked Mark Fitzgerald, Mobility Consultant at Frost and Sullivan. "We are unlikely to see the results of an alliance on CASE technologies until the next-generation of vehicles are launched in the 2022-2024 timeline."

About Frost & Sullivan Frost & Sullivan, the Growth Partnership Company, works in collaboration with clients to leverage visionary innovation that addresses the global challenges and related growth opportunities that will make or break today's market participants. For more than 50 years, we have been developing growth strategies for the global 1000, emerging businesses, the public sector and the investment community. Contact us:Start the discussion

With the acquisition, Ascenda expands its loyalty advisory division and brings aboard Loyalty Advantage's proven expertise in rewards program development and optimization for leading brands across aviation, travel, retail and hospitality.

In his new role, Mullinix will drive the company's vision of making loyalty simple and enabling clients to successfully develop & grow premium loyalty programs around the world.

Prior to leading Loyalty Advantage, Mullinix held loyalty-centric roles at American Express in Canada, the UK, Hong Kong and Singapore. "Working with Ascenda to expand their loyalty advisory capabilities represents a fantastic opportunity to combine the strategic expertise of Loyalty Advantage with the technology and implementation capabilities of Ascenda, enabling us to deliver across the entire spectrum of client needs in the loyalty space," said Mark Mullinix, Loyalty Advantage's Managing Director.

Ascenda is a global provider of innovative and powerful loyalty propositions for major financial services and travel brands worldwide.

In a world of increasingly complex enterprise software and proliferating buzzwords, Ascenda strips away the noise and takes a fresh, practical approach to delivering compelling customer value. Acenda's solutions are beautifully simple whilst including everything a highly compelling loyalty program needs: from the right technology, content, and value proposition to the management of marketing, servicing, costs and fraud.

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AIRFINHRTTRATNMPERFri, 18 Jan 2019 17:53:00 +0800https://en.prnasia.com/story/235372-0.shtml-The exhibition will highlight over 3,000 brands, 18,000 new products and 30 high-end automotive industry activities and attract industry insiders from around the world]]>
SHENZHEN, China, Jan. 18, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- AAITF, Automotive Aftermarket Industry and Tuning Trade Fair-Exclusive Global Auto Aftermarket Trade Platform, will be held from Feb. 27 to March 1, 2019 at the Shenzhen Convention and Exhibition Center. In this exhibition, there will be over 3,000 brands, 18,000 new products and 30 high-end automotive industry activities which will attract over 100,000 visitors to the 3-day show. AAITF displays a complete range of the most up-to-date aftermarket products. The show represents the rapid development of automotive aftermarket trends, and covers a variety of categories including OEM, aftermarket, overseas market and emerging channels. The vast onsite exhibit line-up verifies AAITF's strong industrial influence within the field. AAITF sponsored by Guangzhou Jiuzhou Tarsus Exhibition Co., Ltd.

Since making its debut in 2006, AAITF has been successfully held 17 times. This biannual show will cover 120,000 m2, occupying all the exhibition halls of the venue. AAITF organizing committee also announced that AAITF will be the first show for the new venue in Shenzhen in 2020 and is planning to double its size within 5 years from now.

The highlights of AAITF 2019:

New Products

A 3-day visit to AAITF 2019 will provide visitors with an abundance of knowledge about the latest aftermarket products from over 3,000 mainstream brand exhibitors, the majority of which were part of the brands' headquarters, coupled with over 18,000 varieties of new products on show all under one roof made for a truly exciting show.

New Models

AAITF 2019 will offer a variety of industrial conferences, seminars, forums and workshops for business networking and new business development. These sessions will ensure that all attendees walking away with new ideas and solutions to implement into their current business. Alongside this, the new products exhibited in AAITF will account for 85% of new products within the entire industry, showcasing the latest models within the automotive aftermarket.

New Trends

AAITF 2019 will also display the new trends in this industry: the new products dominating the automotive aftermarket, the latest trends to look out for in the industry, the most effective shortcuts to expand the market share.

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AUTTRNTDSFVTFri, 18 Jan 2019 16:19:00 +0800https://en.prnasia.com/story/235368-0.shtmlDALIAN, China, Jan. 18, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- CBAK Energy Technology, Inc. (NASDAQ: CBAT) ("CBAK Energy", or the "Company"), the world's leading lithium battery manufacturer and electric energy solution provider, announced that it has reached a supply agreement with Customer S, a leading manufacturer of clean energy storage and management systems. Under the agreement, Customer S undertakes to purchase from CBAK Energy for no less than 19 million units of 26650 lithium batteries in 3 years from 2019 to 2021, for use in Li-Ion based energy storage products. CBAK Energy will supply the batteries through its wholly-owned operating subsidiary, Dalian CBAK Power Battery Co., Ltd., a specialized high power battery provider in Dalian.

CBAK Energy Signed Supply Agreement with Customer S

The 26650 lithium battery is one of CBAK Energy's most popular self-developed products. It has outstanding performance, such as stability and safety, which has been used in various kinds of electric vehicles, electric tools and energy storage, and has a good reputation with these customers. CBAK Energy has been dedicated to the research and development and commercial use of lithium batteries for more than 15 years.

"We are glad to enter into the large-quantity purchase contract with Customer S, which reflects the global market recognition of our battery products for use in energy storage. It encourages us to continue investment in the R&D of lithium batteries and expansion of battery production lines. It is a good beginning for year 2019, and with the surging energy storage markets, we believe we will enter into more lithium battery agreements with customers," commented Mr. Yunfei Li, the CEO of CBAK Energy.

About Customer S Customer S designs and manufactures award-winning clean energy storage and management systems. Founded in 2002, California-based Customer S has created the most safe, reliable, durable and scalable on-demand power solutions available for the residential, commercial, military and film industries. Integral to all Customer S solutions is a management system that further optimizes the lifetime performance and durability of its batteries. Customer S's storage system components are UL certified, and have been rigorously tested and deployed by the U.S. Army and Marine Corps.

About CBAK Energy Technology, Inc.CBAK Energy Technology, Inc. (NASDAQ: CBAT) is a global leading high-tech enterprise engaged in the R&D, manufacture, and sales of high power lithium batteries. The application of its products and solutions covers such areas as electric vehicles, light electric vehicles, electric tools, transportation and energy storage. As the first lithium battery company in China to get listed in the U.S. in January 2005, CBAK Energy possesses China's first production base specially engaged in power battery, and has its wholly-owned subsidiary - Dalian CBAK Power Battery Co., Ltd., and a large-scale R&D and production base in Dalian.

This press release contains forward-looking statements, which are subject to change. The forward-looking statements are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All "forward-looking statements" relating to the business of CBAK Energy Technology, Inc. and its subsidiary companies, which can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "believes", "expects" or similar expressions, involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties which could cause actual results to differ. These factors include but are not limited to: the ability of the Company to meet its contract or agreement obligations; the uncertain market for the Company's lithium battery cells; business, macroeconomic, technological, regulatory, or other factors affecting the profitability of battery cells designed for energy storage; and risks related to CBAK Energy's business and risks related to operating in China. Please refer to CBAK Energy 's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2017, as well as other SEC reports that have been filed since the date of such annual report, for specific details on risk factors. Given these risks and uncertainties, you are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. CBAK Energy 's actual results could differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements. CBAK Energy undertakes no obligation to revise or update its forward-looking statements in order to reflect events or circumstances that may arise after the date of this release.

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ALTAUTFINEUTENVOILTRNUTICONFri, 18 Jan 2019 15:56:00 +0800https://en.prnasia.com/story/235320-0.shtml
Former aviators launched the innovative new fractional ownership program earlier this year

SINGAPORE, Jan. 18, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Jet It, a private jet fractional ownership company, began operations along the United States East Coast after acquiring its first HondaJet Elite. Jet It's new hybrid ownership model provides individuals the opportunity to own a fraction of the aircraft in its new HondaJet Elite fleet, while avoiding heavy costs associated with full ownership. Under Jet It's innovative model, owners will be able to operate aircraft for the day at an industry-leading rate of $1,600 per hour.

With over 40 years of experience in aviation, co-founders Vishal Hiremath, an aircraft industry sales professional who leads Jet It's international affiliate JetClub, and Air Force Veteran Lieutenant Colonel Glenn Gonzales first met at Gulfstream Aerospace in Savannah, GA. Following their time at Gulfstream, Gonzales and Hiremath were members of the Honda Aircraft Company sales team located in Greensboro, NC.

In making the announcement, Jet It CEO Lieutenant Colonel Gonzales stated, "The HondaJet Elite is simply the most suitable aircraft for the mission. Our owners are incredibly excited about the HondaJet Elite's extended New York to South Florida range, ability to fly over weather and traffic at 43,000 ft, and time and cost savings due to the HondaJet's speed compared to propeller driven aircraft. When coupled with the Jet It business model, our owners have the fastest, highest-flying, quietest and most cost-effective private transportation service in the industry."

Jet It Founder and President Vishal Hiremath added, "We are incredibly excited to be taking delivery of our first jet after only four months of launch and sales activity. It speaks to the excitement in the market for our company and the need for a service that speaks to the value proposition offered by Jet It. As we gear up to launch overseas with our international affiliate JetClub, we look forward to bringing this model worldwide and getting more owners access to the HondaJet Elite and a hassle free ownership experience."

When commenting on Jet It's announcement, Honda Aircraft Company President and CEO Michimasa Fujino said, "We are very pleased Jet It chose the HondaJet Elite as their launch aircraft. As Jet It's innovative program continues to expand, we are confident their customers around the globe will enjoy the high performance and comfort of the HondaJet Elite."

The collaborative effort will unite each partner's commitment to beautiful luxury automotive design and is a major addition to Karma's growing list of strategic business partners who will play an important role in Zhou's 'Value-Forward' business plan to help accelerate future technology and product development.

"Our business and product plan is driven in part by collaborating with like-minded and nimble partners such as Pininfarina, whose design expertise will help us accelerate product development, differentiation, and personalized customization that allows every Karma to be truly special," he said. "Karma is united in spirit with Pininfarina through our shared commitment to stunning design, and we are excited about the reaction we anticipate the end result of our partnership will generate."

As part of the Value-Forward business plan, Karma seeks to acquire and develop key technologies and partnerships important to connectivity, performance, artificial intelligence, shared mobility platforms and electrification. The goal is to solidify and grow Karma's place in a unique luxury electric vehicle niche first in the U.S. before expanding to other international markets.

"The agreement with Karma – said CEO of Pininfarina Silvio Pietro Angori – represents another important step in the growth strategy of Pininfarina in the North American market, following the opening of our new design center in Los Angeles. We are happy to support Karma through our expertise into design and creation of luxury, customized vehicles, and into premium brand lifestyle. With Karma we share the same passion for beauty, exclusivity and innovation, always in the name of environmental sustainability. We can't wait to show the world the first fruit of our joint effort."

The first results of the new partnership are expected in Q2 2019.

Meet Karma Automotive

Karma Automotive designs, engineers, assembles and markets luxury electric vehicles, all from its Southern California base of operations. Founded in 2014 and employing nearly 1,000 people worldwide, Karma Automotive is committed to elevating and growing the luxury mobility experience for its customers and draws on global relationships and technology partners to achieve this. Named Green Car Journal's 2018 Luxury Green Car of the Year, Karma Revero is a luxury electric vehicle powered by dual electric motors that embodies the company's goals of offering leading automotive design, technology, customization and an outstanding customer experience.

Pininfarina is a luxury design and engineering house established in 1930, icon of the Italian design in the world, which has contributed to write the history of the global automotive industry. Employing nearly 700 people through its offices in Italy, Germany, China and the United States, Pininfarina continues to be the benchmark of the auto and industrial design, deeply involved to designing customer journeys, unique user experiences merging physical and digital worlds through aesthetics and technology. Pininfarina portfolio of services cover design, engineering, conception and manufacturing of unique cars or very small runs. Pininfarina also represents today one of the most prestigious brands in Architecture and Interiors with dozens of awards achieved.

ST. LOUIS, Jan. 17, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Enterprise Holdings today announced its intent to acquire San Francisco-based Deem – an innovative managed-travel technology platform that includes Deem Work Fource and Deem Ground Work, a suite of online booking and travel technology products for business travelers, travel managers, travel-management companies and suppliers.

More than 50,000 corporate customers and the world's largest travel-management companies already use Deem's travel and ground transportation software. Upon final acquisition, this transaction would provide Deem with an infusion of capital and resources to help further expand its product roadmap and increase the pace of product development and enhancements.

"Deem's combination of intellectual property and tech talent represents a significant opportunity for Enterprise Holdings to further enhance and expand our portfolio of services," said Greg Stubblefield, Executive Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer for Enterprise Holdings, which owns the Enterprise Rent-A-Car, National Car Rental and Alamo Rent A Car brands.

Enterprise and Deem have been working together to bring travel and ground transportation solutions to customers. Since 2011, Deem has provided the technology behind Enterprise Holdings' EHIDirect travel booking platform for small and medium-sized corporations. Most recently, Enterprise and Deem partnered together to offer National Car and Driver in China through the National Car Rental brand.

Through Work Fource, Deem provides access to innovative travel technology that makes the corporate travel booking and travel experience more efficient for travelers, corporations and their travel agency partners. Additionally, Deem's Ground Work platform provides a suite of online tools for booking pre-reserved ground transport for corporations and travel management companies.

The acquisition is expected to close in the first quarter of 2019 after satisfaction of customary closing conditions. Deem will continue to operate autonomously from its Silicon Valley headquarters and offer its suite of business travel technology including air and hotel as well as ground transportation options across major rental car, black car, ride-hailing and rail service providers. John F. Rizzo will remain in his role as Chief Executive Officer, as will the rest of the Deem executive team.

"We know the industry wants travel management solutions that transform the traveler experience, while lowering corporations' costs," said Rizzo. "We will continue that mission to provide travelers with a streamlined platform that predicts what they want and need, and that works tirelessly for them in the background."

Krish Panu, Chairman of Deem and Managing Partner of Deem investor, PointGuard Ventures, added, "It has been a privilege to have co-invested with Enterprise Holdings in Deem. With Enterprise's capital and scale, Deem can expand its team and resources to drive its pace of innovation at a much faster rate."

Acquisition & Corporate Venture-Capital Strategy

Enterprise Holdings is owned by the Taylor family of St. Louis and, as a privately held business, will not disclose financial terms of the Deem acquisition. However, Enterprise Holdings' acquisition and corporate venture-capital strategy continues to focus on technologies and business models that not only can accelerate industry-leading transportation solutions, but also customer satisfaction in a rapidly changing marketplace.

In 2007, Enterprise purchased the National and Alamo brands, its largest acquisition to date. Since 2008, Enterprise has spent almost $2.4 billion making acquisitions and corporate-venture capital investments or commitments in the U.S., Canada, the U.K., France, Ireland, Spain, Brazil and China. Acquisitions include car rental companies, carshare operations, technology platforms and franchises.

Today, Enterprise Holdings – based on revenue – ranks near the top of the global travel industry, ahead of many airlines and most cruise lines, hotels, tour operators and online travel agencies. "We have long admired Deem's commitment to creating innovative, customer-focused solutions, while also building a great team and culture," Stubblefield noted. "We believe this long-term investment will continue to pay dividends worldwide for many years to come."

About Enterprise HoldingsEnterprise Holdings – through its integrated global network of independent regional subsidiaries and franchises – operates the Enterprise Rent-A-Car, National Car Rental and Alamo Rent A Car brands at more than 10,000 fully staffed neighborhood and airport locations. Combined, Enterprise Holdings and its affiliate Enterprise Fleet Management accounted for $24.1 billion in revenue and owned 2 million vehicles throughout the world in fiscal year 2018. Enterprise Holdings' regional subsidiaries and Enterprise Fleet Management currently employ 100,000 worldwide. Enterprise Holdings currently is ranked as one of America's Largest Private Companies. Furthermore, if it were publicly traded, Enterprise Holdings would rank on Fortune's list of the 500 largest American public companies.

About DeemDeem is designed for the entire business travel ecosystem using machine learning, AI and predictive analytics. Deem's suite of tools range from a dynamic traveler booking platform, travel manager cost controls, travel agency service technology, and supplier revenue opportunities, including the world's largest car service affiliate network and operator solutions. Deem's Work Fource, Ground Work and Emerging platforms service more than 50,000 corporate customers in 61 countries, speaking 14 languages – including the world's largest travel management companies. The company is headquartered in San Francisco, Calif. with offices in Bangalore, India.

HONG KONG, Jan. 17, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- BBT and S.F. Express (Hong Kong) Limited ("S.F. HK") are partnering in a joint venture, namely Kin Shun Information technology Limited ("Kin Shun"), under a cooperation agreement signed on 14 December 2018. Kin Shun will bring together logistic technologies and operational expertise to offer diverse and efficient logistic solutions. It will also provide professional last mile delivery services to the local market in the near future.

BBT has been working with SF Car, a S.F. HK subsidiary with rich operational experience, since July 2017. Customised services are provided to corporate clients in Hong Kong with a technical platform that deploys resources flexibly. Operations and deployment algorithms are fine tuned to enhance the quality and efficiency of resources. This strategy has reaped impressive results and business is growing significantly. They are currently handling more than 5,000 calls for deliveries every day on average, with over 10,000 registered couriers on board.

KK Chiu, CEO of BBT, will act as Chief Executive Officer of Kin Shun, alongside him is Cliff Tse, BBT's CTO, who will act as Chief Technical Officer of Kin Shun, and Vincent Fan, Head of SF Car will serve as Chief Operations Officer of Kin Shun. This high-calibre team will accelerate the expansion of market, improvement of services and the optimization of efficiency, thus creating a premium last mile delivery services and robust on-demand point-to-point servicing network.

Servicing Leading Catering Groups, Aiming for more Collaborative Integrations

Driven by tailor-made systems and integration flexibility, the partnership has already resulted in services diversity and increase in business volume. Their efficient delivery services have also earned the trust of many leading catering groups in Hong Kong and will continue its leveraging of technology excellence to serve the last mile delivery market.

With growing demand for high-efficiency services, Kin Shun will concentrate to develop on-demand delivery and launch leading logistic services for the retail sector.

Besides strengthening existing point-to-point delivery services, Kin Shun will deepen its business in greater latitude, such as hourly rental and monthly rental services. Merchants can enjoy the flexibility to choose suitable services across a broad spectrum of offerings. A new ordering platform for both merchants and customers will also be launched to provide a quality service experience.

Striving for Perfection with Continuous Innovation

In the future, Kin Shun will strengthen its collaboration with S.F. HK in last mile delivery market. Leveraging big data to optimize business operations, Kin Shun is confident to become the top player in the highly competitive market and leverage its operational experience to create competitive advantages for the benefit of clients.

KK Chiu, Chief Executive Officer of Kin Shun says, "Kin Shun aims to capture the business opportunity and surging demand for last mile delivery services to provide better products and services to the market. By establishing a robust platform through utilization of BBT's technology and SF CAR's operational expertise, we will retain existing clients and attract new SME customers. Continuous innovations keep us progressing forward."

Vincent Fan, Chief Operations Officer of Kin Shun concludes, "With the technical support of BBT and extensive business foundation of SF CAR, Kin Shun is in a very competitive position to explore more possibilities and develop diverse businesses to create value for Hong Kong."

Kin Shun Information Technology Limited is a joint venture established by BBT and SF (Hong Kong) Limited on 14 December 2018. It aims to offer tailored delivery solutions, last mile and point-to-point delivery services, are designed to meet growing demand in the Hong Kong logistic market. Combining the extensive operational expertise of SF CAR with technology excellence of BBT, Kin Shun is striving for a substantial market share of last mile delivery market by leveraging its competitive advantages to expand to overseas regions.

About BBT

BBT was developed up by experience talents of technology, commerce, operations in 2015. Offering high quality local delivery services and diversified logistic solutions for cooperates, its business footprint extends to Hong Kong, and four major cities, Guangzhou, Beijing, Shanghai, and Shenzhen, in mainland China, and has served the high-demand markets for years. With over 50,000 professional delivery workers and nearly 5 million fulfilled delivery orders, BBT established a presence in Hong Kong in 2017 and has received 10 millions of USD in Series A Financing in February 2018. Shareholders of the company include a leading multinational company The KHO Group Limited, Dr. Peter Lee Ka Kit, and Mr Ronald Joseph Arculli, former Chairman of Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing.

About S.F. Express (S.F.)

S.F. was established in Shunde, Guangdong Province in 1993. On December 12, 2016, SF Express was approved to be listed in A-Share stock market by the China Securities Regulatory Commission; on February 24, 2017, S.F. had been officially renamed to SF Holding (SZSE:002352) . S.F. is one of the leading integrated express logistics service providers in China. After years of development, S.F. has built up a preliminary level of capability for providing customers with one-stop integrated logistics solutions including warehousing management, sales forecasting, big data analysis, and financial management. S.F. is an intelligent logistics provider with the advantage of network scale. S.F. has built an integrated logistics network of "Aviation Network", "Ground Network" and "Information Network", after years of concentration at business operation, and forward-looking strategic planning. S.F. adopts the direct operation mode, through central operation and management from headquarter to branches, and guarantees the overall operation quality of service networks.

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ITETLSTRNTRTJVNLICThu, 17 Jan 2019 15:48:00 +0800https://en.prnasia.com/story/235253-0.shtml
The period Thailand celebrates Chinese New Year in February and Thai New Year (Songkran) in April.

BANGKOK, Jan. 17, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is pleased to announce that the Royal Thai Government has approved the extension of the visa-on-arrival fee waiver for citizens of 20 countries until 30 April. Previously, the exemption of the visa-on-arrival fee was from 15 November 2018, to 13 January 2019.

The decision was announced in the Royal Thai Government Gazette on 11 January, reasoning it as a measure to stimulate and promote tourism as well as to enhance the kingdom's attractiveness among foreign visitors during the high travel season.

Mr. Yuthasak Supasorn, Governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), said the continuation of the stimulus visa-on-arrival measure came at a perfect time as Thailand is set to celebrate Chinese New Year in February and the Thai New Year (Songkran) in April.

Chinese New Year celebrations are huge in Thailand, and this year will mark the 15th anniversary of cooperation between TAT, the Chinese Ministry of Culture, and the Chinese Embassy in organising annual Lunar New Year festivities in Thailand. This year's date falls on 5 February.

Mr. Yuthasak said: "This year, the Chinese New Year official opening ceremony will be held at Siam Square, one of the most popular shopping areas in Bangkok. We aim to attract more of the younger generation to enjoy the traditional performances."

Every year, China sends over 100 traditional Chinese dancers and musicians, martial artists, Chinese opera performers and acrobats from several cities in a cultural exchange. In addition to the opening ceremony, typically held at Bangkok's Yaowarat (China Town), performances are also held in key cities around Thailand where Chinese New Year is celebrated in grand style. In return, TAT organises education tours of Thailand for the performers.

For the Thai New Year (Songkran), TAT will continue its strategy to promote Thai traditions and cultural values, the core part of almost all traditional events and festivals in Thailand, according to Mr. Yuthasak. "As usual, TAT will provide support to the organising of Songkran celebrations in various destinations throughout the kingdom."

The Songkran Festival, 13-15 April, is an event where boisterous fun and ancient traditions go hand-in-hand. For tourists, the event offers a chance to enjoy a huge celebration where water parties break out in the streets of Thailand's towns and villages. For locals, it is a time when they can spend precious moments with their families and visit the temples to observe ancient rites and make merit.

Other notable events and festivals scheduled during the period include the World Wai Kru Muay Thai Ceremony on 17 March in Ayutthaya and the uniquely local Poi Sang Long Festival (held during March or April) in the northern province of Mae Hong Son.

The list of countries eligible for the visa-on-arrival fee waiver until 30 April:

Citizens of Andora, Bulgaria, Bhutan, mainland China, Cyprus, Ethiopia, Fiji, India, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Maldives, Malta, Mauritius, Papua New Guinea, Romania, San Marino, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan,Ukraine and Uzbekistan will be exempted from the 2,000 Baht visa-on-arrival fee for the purpose of touring in Thailand for not more than 15 days.

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ATLTRNTRAFVTThu, 17 Jan 2019 14:00:00 +0800https://en.prnasia.com/story/235248-0.shtmlTOKYO, Jan. 17, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The Polyplastics Group has announced the introduction of a new polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) resin which delivers excellent alkali stress crack resistance for a range of automotive applications. The new grade, DURANEX(R) 532AR, also exhibits outstanding hydrolysis/heat shock resistance and electrical performance for components in the chassis and engine compartment.

As demand for durability, safety and reliability in auto parts continues to increase, DURANEX(R) 532AR has successfully reduced the risk of cracking in molded articles by preventing alkali from penetrating the inside of the resin, thus imparting toughness that helps generate less stress. This alkaline can arise from rust formation in metal parts. DURANEX(R) 532AR, treated with a hydrolysis-resistant formula, has greater durability than standard materials.

Recent test evaluations show that when specimens are immersed in alkali, cracking occurs within two hours in standard material DURANEX(R) 3300 and in hydrolysis- and heat shock-resistant DURANEX(R) 531HS. No stress cracking occurs in DURANEX(R) 532AR even when immersed for up to 200 hours.

Electrical components and sensors installed near the engine are also often metal insert-molded and there are cases when sudden temperature changes can cause heat shock fracture issues. This occurs because the metal and resin have linear expansion coefficients that differ by roughly a factor of 10. DURANEX(R) 532AR also has outstanding heat shock resistance and is capable of withstanding these harsh environments.

DURANEX(R) 532AR is ideal for use in parts installed in the chassis section and lower areas of vehicles which can be splashed with water and mud, and come into contact with chemicals such as snow-melting agents. This grade offers a combination of high reliability and long life even in harsh environments.

The Polyplastics Group is a global leader in the development and production of engineering thermoplastics. The Group's product portfolio includes PBT, polyoxymethylene (POM), polyphenylene sulfide (PPS), liquid crystal polymer (LCP) and cyclic olefin copolymer (COC). With more than 50 years of experience, the company is backed by a strong global network of R&D, production and sales resources.

DURANEX(R) is a registered trademark of Polyplastics Co., Ltd. in Japan and other countries.

Investment in US provider of dealership software systems marks a new commitment for digital consumer experience in first year of corporate venture capital fund.

Alliance Ventures, the strategic venture capital arm of Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi, has announced today a new investment in digital technologies and services by investing in Tekion, a US company. Tekion brings connected digital experiences to automotive retail through the most advanced Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence capabilities available.

The investment in Tekion, based in California's Silicon Valley, is the latest investment by Alliance Ventures in start-ups, early-stage development and entrepreneurs at the cutting edge of next-generation systems for the automotive industry.

Francois Dossa, Alliance Global Vice President, Ventures and Open Innovation, said: "Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi believes that automotive groups with the most advanced and digitally-connected customer services will enjoy significant competitive advantages. This is one of the reasons we are investing in Tekion, a company that is leveraging the most advanced technologies to provide digital experiences and solutions for automotive retail.

Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Tekion added: "At Tekion, we offer the latest technology from ML/AI to Big Data and Internet of Things, all integrated in one cloud platform, bringing a seamless digital experience from online to in-store. This investment from Alliance Ventures will enable us to go farther and faster in creating best-in-class, integrated experiences that connect OEMs, dealers, and consumers better than ever before."

The investment follows nine other direct investments in 2018, in startups based in North America, Europe, Middle-East and China, to allow Alliance Ventures to contribute to the future of mobility for all.

Financial terms of the Tekion investment will not be disclosed.

ABOUT TEKION

Tekion is a cloud platform that offers automotive retail technology that disrupts the status quo. Tekion services car dealerships across the United States who seek a better way to do business while providing excellent customer experiences and increasing efficiency, revenue and retention. Tekion was born in California's Silicon Valley and employs over 150 innovators. For more information, visit Tekion.com.

ABOUT RENAULT-NISSAN-MITSUBISHI

Groupe Renault, Nissan Motor Company and Mitsubishi Motors represent the world's largest automotive alliance. It is the longest-lasting and most productive cross-cultural partnership in the auto industry. Together, the partners sold more than 10.6 million vehicles in nearly 200 countries in 2017.

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AUTITETLSTRNWed, 16 Jan 2019 21:59:00 +0800https://en.prnasia.com/story/235153-0.shtmlHONG KONG, Jan. 16, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Cogobuy Group ("Cogobuy" or the "Company", stock code: 400.HK; with its subsidiaries (the ''Group'')), a platform providing artificial intelligence and internet of things ("AIoT") business solutions in China, is pleased to announce its subsidiary, INGDAN.com, entered a strategic agreement with Toyota to establish the "Toyota INGDAN.com Innovation Platform" ("Innovation Platform") smart car ecosystem in China. Through the new platform, the two parties will apply Toyota's core technologies to China's innovative enterprises, and empower the Chinese smart car industry to develop the next generation of automotive products and applications.

Through the Innovation Platform, Toyota will introduce hundreds of advanced Japanese automotive technology suppliers, while INGDAN.com will provide access to its abundant upstream and downstream enterprises and project resources to strengthen the currently weak industrial chain, both helping to facilitate greater auto industry innovation in China. Additionally, several outstanding new startups are expected to grow out of the new ecosystem, which will help the Company capture new energy and industrial dividends.

Mr. Jeffrey Kang, CEO of Cogobuy Group, said, "Our partnership with Toyota is a major breakthrough in the development of China's IoT and smart automotive industry. It also positions our two companies well in the new autonomous driving and new energy markets both domestically and globally. Increased sharing of innovation resources in China and Japan's automobile industry can help both countries' automobile industries upgrade from being manufacturing-oriented to intelligence-oriented. We are excited to connect Toyota's advanced automotive manufacturing technology suppliers with Cogobuy's abundant supply chain and project resources, and to enable companies on the new Innovation Platform achieve quick and efficient industrial upgrades."

About Cogobuy Group

Cogobuy Groupisheadquartered in Shenzhen, with offices and branches across major cities in China, including Hong Kong, Shanghai, Beijing, Wuhan, Chengdu, Nanjing, Hangzhou, and Xi'an, as well as overseas branches in the United States, Singapore, Israel, and Japan. The Group is comprised of Cogobuy.com, an IC Components Direct Sales Platform and INGDAN.com, the leading AIoT Business Service Platform. Cogobuy's AIoT ecosystem connects cloud computing and AI core technologies with the Group's expertise in edge computing, machine learning, and deep customization. With the ecosystem, the Group aims to provide AIoT solutions to vertical industries such as smart cars, smart homes, robotics, and customized AIoT chips. For further information, please refer to the Company's website at http://www.cogobuy.com/

About the Toyota INGDAN.com Innovation Platform

The Toyota INGDAN.com Innovation Platform is a new innovative resources ecosystem for the smart car industry, jointly established by INGDAN.com and Toyota. The platform connects nearly 100 Japanese advanced auto technology suppliers with more than 100 upstream and downstream Chinese supply chain and project resources for artificial intelligence, autonomous driving, new energy vehicles, auto parts, and automotive electronics, helping to advance the Chinese and Japanese automotive industries with industrial upgrades and smart technology capabilities.

MCLEAN, Virginia, Jan. 16, 2019 /PRNewswire/ --Iridium Communications Inc. (NASDAQ: IRDM) announced today the commercial launch of its Iridium Certus broadband service, the first new capability activated from the company's $3 billion Iridium® NEXT satellite replacement program. Iridium Certus is a unique platform designed for the development of specialty applications and is the world's only truly global broadband service, offering on-the-move internet and high-quality voice access. The service enables mobile office functionality for deployed teams and two-way remote communication for assets, autonomous vehicles, trains, aircraft and ships at sea. This also includes safety-of-life services, where Iridium Certus is uniquely suited for the critical communications needs of teams operating beyond the reach of cellular coverage, including first responders and search and rescue organizations. This announcement marks the end of an extensive global testing phase, including beta trials with live customers; the initial service is targeted at maritime and terrestrial applications, with Iridium Certus aviation solutions expected later in 2019, once certified.

Iridium Certus enables a unique and high-value suite of mobility applications and true comms-on-the-move capabilities with the known robustness and reliability that come with being a cutting-edge L-band user network. This includes keeping lone workers, crews at sea or operational aircraft safely connected and maintaining consistent communication, regardless of location. Iridium Certus can also support applications that serve remotely deployed IoT devices or mobile platforms like UAVs for vital command and control links for the long haul delivery of critical supplies like vaccines and medicine.

"The debut of Iridium Certus is the start of a new chapter in the Iridium story, one that is set to catapult us and our partners forward. At its core, Iridium Certus is an innovation engine for the future. It will enable us to provide broadband connections to teams, vehicles and the important IoT "things" that are in the 80-plus percent of the world that lacks cellular coverage," said Iridium CEO Matt Desch. "Adoption of this new service by our partners has already begun, and it has been eagerly anticipated by every target industry. The launch of this service is a huge achievement, and it is already disrupting the status-quo through our smaller, faster, lighter and more cost-effective terminals and service."

Iridium has estimated the L-band specialty broadband market size to be approximately $700 million today. Prior to the launch of Iridium Certus, the company had an approximately $25 million market share value in high-speed maritime services and looks forward to that growing with this faster and more competitive service. Iridium has previously issued guidance that it believes revenues attributed to Iridium Certus will reach an approximately $100 million yearly run rate by year end 2021.

"Iridium Certus is delivering real-time connections everywhere our vessels go. As a result, shipboard communications, vessel performance systems and the crew themselves are never out of contact. We are now able to upgrade existing broadband terminals to Iridium Certus to ensure we are getting the highest throughput at the best cost on the newest global network," says Holger Börchers of Briese Schiffahrts GmbH & Co. KG, Leer/Germany. "Iridium Certus is a game-changer for us."

Aside from operating on the only truly global satellite constellation, Iridium Certus terminals are smaller in form factor, will offer higher speeds and are more cost-effective than competitive L-band broadband offerings. Terminals are being built by Cobham (maritime), Thales (maritime, aviation and land-mobile), Collins Aerospace (aviation), L3 (aviation), Gogo (aviation) and Satcom Direct (aviation). And to date, 35 world-class service providers are authorized by Iridium to provide the service around the world.

"Rocky Mountaineer is a luxury tourist train that travels through some very remote parts of the Pacific Northwest and Western Canada. Iridium Certus has been everything we could have hoped for, in terms of keeping us in consistent communication, despite the challenging operating environment," said Chris Sepp, Senior Director, Information Technology at Rocky Mountaineer. "This is a major upgrade to our existing capabilities with positive effects for safety, tracking and efficiency of our system. We're excited to continue adding the service to our trains."

Iridium Certus addresses the needs of satellite communications users with a robust suite of solutions for maritime, land mobile, aviation, government and IoT applications. Now that the service is available, mariners will, for the first time, have a more competitive range of choices when evaluating connectivity solutions for vessels of any size, supporting the digitalization of shipping and the autonomous vessel movement. Land-mobile users will be able to connect vehicles and assets "on-the-move" anywhere on the planet, with customizable hardware and solutions that can switch from cellular to satellite connectivity as needed to help manage costs. Upon terminal availability later in 2019, aviation users will gain access to Iridium Certus solutions that support a range of capabilities for aircraft, including business jet cabin connectivity for mobile office functions. Future flight deck applications will help advance efforts toward adopting satcom as a primary means of aircraft communications.

For government users, Iridium Certus provides a secure solution that supports the mission-critical requirements of the warfighter, including truly mobile hardware that is resilient and rugged enough to withstand high-risk combat zones and inclement weather events. For IoT applications, Iridium Certus will in the future deliver Internet Protocol (IP) data applications over smaller, portable and more cost-effective devices to vertical markets like industrial IoT, forestry, utilities, supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA), transportation and construction, to name a few. In the coming year, Iridium plans to introduce an even more versatile transceiver that can scale down terminals to smaller, lighter and more portable uses on vehicles, drones, buoys, endangered animals and more. These transceivers will then become part of long-lasting battery-powered devices ideal for IoT applications in remote environments.

Iridium is debuting the service, which will feature a variety of speed classes, with the Iridium Certus 350 (352/352 Kbps) offering, which supports capabilities like internet and high-quality voice services to compact terminals built specifically for maritime, aviation and terrestrial/vehicle applications. Terminals will be upgradable to the next speed class, Iridium Certus 700 (352/704 Kbps), with a firmware update once available. Initial activations of the service occurred in December of 2018 with excellent system performance.

Iridium Certus is powered by the low earth orbit Iridium satellite network, comprised of 66 crosslinked satellites that create a web of coverage around the entire planet. Unlike other satellite systems, Iridium's crosslinked architecture enables real-time transit of data to and from any location on the globe without the need for abundant ground stations and allows it to maintain consistent, high quality coverage, including over the oceans and polar regions.

Iridium is the only mobile voice and data satellite communications network that spans the entire globe. Iridium enables connections between people, organizations and assets to and from anywhere, in real time. Together with its ecosystem of partner companies, Iridium delivers an innovative and rich portfolio of reliable solutions for markets that require truly global communications. The company recently completed the last scheduled launch of its next-generation satellite network - Iridium NEXT - and plans to complete the upgrade in the coming weeks. Iridium Communications Inc. is headquartered in McLean, Va., U.S.A., and its common stock trades on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the ticker symbol IRDM. For more information about Iridium products, services and partner solutions, visit www.iridium.com.